Away from the desk

 A busy and enjoyable couple of days out and about this week. On Thursday I was lucky enough to be invited along to a joint Creative Cardiff / Cardiff University day on the Creative Writing Industries. It was interesting to meet a number of new writers, just emerging from the MA programme at the university, and to hear from alumni of that programme about their very varied career paths since graduating. A panel discussion on Voices in Welsh Publishing showcased four publishing houses (Seren, Parthien Books, Broken Sleep Books and Lucent Dreaming) and another session addressed the thorny question of Getting Paid and the Practicalities of a Writing Career. But, as always, the great advantage of the day was the opportunity it provided for networking - or "finding your tribe" as several speakers expressed it. Wales is a small country - but it has a very vibrant writing community and some very supportive tribes.

Then yesterday evening I went to the Millenium Centre to see Michael Sheen in Nye. It was by far and away the best theatre production I have ever seen. Every detail was incredible - the script, the acting, the sets, the staging. Aneurin Bevan was played as the flawed, arrogant, argumentative, brilliant character that he was. The action was amusing and moving in equal measure and by the end the whole theatre was on its feet in a standing ovation. Should you have any chance of seeing ithe play during its short Cardiff run, it's not to be missed. And with things as they are in the NHS at present, it's an opportune moment to be reflecting on the immense value of this country's most precious institution.